from left, brownie girl scouts troop 70091: clare arunski...
TRANSCRIPT
Herndon WinterMarkt Debuts to CrowdsNews, Page 5
Merry ChristmasEditorial, Page 4
Wreaths Across America At Chestnut Grove Cemetery
News, Page 3
From left, Brownie Girl Scouts Troop 70091: Clare Arunski, Morgan Faust, Ellie Fair, Taylor Rommell, Abby Proudfoot, Harper Rommell, and Eleanor Beyhl hold a remembrance wreath before the start of the Wreaths Across America 2019 ceremony at Chestnut Grove Cemetery in Herndon, Saturday, Dec. 14.
online at www.connectionnewspapers.com December 18-24, 2019
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Oak Hill/Herndon Connection ❖ December 18-24, 2019 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
News
By Mercia Hobson
The Connection
Bigger than one town, created forall, people from across NorthernVirginia gathered at ChestnutGrove Cemetery in Herndon
shortly before noon on Dec. 14. They camefrom surrounding towns, communities andcounties, stretching far and wide, to laywreaths at one of the more than 1,200 lo-cations nationwide this year on WreathsAcross America Day. “Today, we want toshow a united front of unity all across theUnited States of America as we rememberthe fallen, honor those who serve and teachour children the value of freedom. We shallnot forget. We shall remember,” said KathyHerbert, President of Herndon Woman’sClub (VA0143P), to the gathered crowd ofhundreds at Chestnut Grove Cemetery inthe Town of Herndon.
Wright and other members of theWoman’s Club, the Herndon FortnightlyClub, South Lakes High School Army Jun-ior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps ColorGuard of Reston, the Reston Chorale BobbyPins and more were there to support theceremony and the staff at the town-ownedcemetery. Many of them and members ofother service organizations, would assistothers in placing remembrance wreaths onthe graves of the 848 veterans laid to restin the cemetery, not to decorate their gravesnor remember the servicemembers’ deaths,but as Wright said, to remember their livesand thank them for their service to the
United States.Wright said, “We are proud to be Ameri-
cans who live in a free society made up of
many people, and many races, from vari-ous walks of life. The freedoms we enjoytoday did not come without a price… As
we honor those who serve and have served,and the sacrifices each has made, a memo-rial wreath to represent each branch of theArmed Forces as well as those taken Pris-oners of War and those Missing in Actionwill be placed.”
One by one, Wright called seven mem-bers of the Armed Forces from across theregion forward to lay Remembrancewreaths in “memory of those who servedand are serving. Sergeant First Class CynthisScheffler, United States Army...Staff Ser-geant Sergio Frintrop, United States MarineCorps...Captain Tammy Tideswell, UnitedStates Navy retired ...Tech SergeantDemarcus Shanklin, United States AirForce...Commander Daniel Alcorn, UnitedStates Coast Guard... Sergeant First ClassJustin Isoline, United States MerchantMarines...(and) now, Colonel CraigBarnhard, United States Air Forces retiredwill lay a remembrance wreath in honor ofthe 93,129 United States servicemen fromall branches of the service whose last knownstatus was either Prisoner of War or Miss-ing in Action. These individuals have neverreturned to their families and homes. Weshall not forget you,” Wright said.
After the formal ceremony, hundreds ofcivilians, active duty and former membersof the United States Armed Forces placedbalsam remembrance wreaths tied with ared velvet bow from Columbia Falls, Maineon the markers of United States veteranslaid to rest in the cemetery. They said theveteran’s name aloud and said “thank you”in a show of gratitude and respect.
Jacob Crochetiere, 10, of Chantilly, andhis father, Terry, who served in the UnitedStates Air Force prepared to place a remem-brance wreath on a grave. Jacob said, “We’rehere so we can remember veterans becausethey served and kept us safe.”
Speaker Carol Wright of the Herndon Woman’s Club and singers of theBobby Pins at the Wreaths Across America ceremony, Chestnut GroveCemetery, Herndon on Dec. 14.
Hundreds of citizens show up to place Remembrance wreaths on thegraves of 848 veterans laid to rest in Chestnut Grove Cemetery inHerndon.
Wreaths Across America at Chestnut Grove CemeteryRegional groups bandtogether to honor andremember heroes.
Jacob Crochetiere, 10, ofChantilly places a Remembrancewreath on the grave of a veteranlaid to rest in Chestnut GroveCemetery in Herndon duringWreaths Across America 2019.“We’re here so we can rememberveterans because they served andkept us safe,” said Jacob.
Troy Koerner, 14, places a wreathon the grave of Ray Gosner Jr., USNavy World War II, Feb. 4, 1927-April 15, 1995, during WreathsAcross America 2019 held at Chest-nut Grove Cemetery in Herndon.
“Today, we want to show a united front of unity allacross the United States of America as we rememberthe fallen, honor those who serve and teach ourchildren the value of freedom.”
—Kathy Herbert, President of Herndon Woman’s Club
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Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic
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4 ❖ Oak Hill/Herndon Connection ❖ December 18-24, 2019 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
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Oak Hill & HerndonOpinion
The pages of the Connection (includ-ing the Alexandria Gazette Packet,the Mount Vernon Gazette, thePotomac Almanac and the Centre
View) have been full of holiday spirit, begin-ning before Thanksgiving. Help for the needy,holiday parades, Santa and more Santa; treelightings, stories of giving, the Nutcracker.
Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ.Whether you believe the Christmas story liter-ally or in spirit, you know it is the story of joy,hope and love, with the promise of redemp-tion.
It is also about embracing the teachings ofJesus: to love thy neighbor as thyself; to helpthe needy; to feed the hungry and clothe thepoor; to care for those who are sick; toinvite and welcome strangers; to treatothers as you would have them treatyou.
Matthew 7:12:“So in everything, do to others what you
would have them do to you.”
Matthew 25:35-40:“For I was hungry and you gave me some-
thing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave mesomething to drink, I was a stranger and youinvited me in, I needed clothes and you clothedme, I was sick and you looked after me, I wasin prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord,when did we see you hungry and feed you, orthirsty and give you something to drink? Whendid we see you a stranger and invite you in, or
needing clothes and clothe you? When did wesee you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for oneof the least of these brothers and sisters ofmine, you did for me.’”
SO SHARE the verse relating the birth of Jesusfrom the Bible, Luke 2: 4-19:
“And Joseph also went up from Galilee, outof the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto thecity of David, which is called Bethlehem; (be-cause he was of the house and lineage ofDavid.) To be taxed with Mary his espousedwife, being great with child. And so it was, that,while they were there, the days were accom-plished that she should be delivered. And she
brought forth her firstborn son, andwrapped him in swaddling clothes, andlaid him in a manger; because therewas no room for them in the inn.
“And there were in the same country, shep-herds abiding in the field, keeping watch overtheir flock by night. And, lo, the angel of theLord came upon them, and the glory of theLord shone round about them: and they weresore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fearnot: for, behold, I bring you good tidings ofgreat joy, which shall be to all people.
“For unto you is born this day in the city ofDavid, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Andthis shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find thebabe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in amanger.
“And suddenly there was with the angel amultitude of the heavenly host praising God,and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and
on earth peace, good will toward men.“And it came to pass, as the angels were gone
away from them into heaven, the shepherdssaid one to another, Let us now go even untoBethlehem, and see this thing which is cometo pass, which the Lord hath made known untous. And they came with haste, and found Mary,and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.And when they had seen it, they made knownabroad the saying which was told them con-cerning this child. And all they that heard itwondered at those things which were told themby the shepherds.”
— Mary Kimm
Editor’s NoteAbout the Rest of 2019
This is our last regular edition of 2019. Nextweek, after Christmas, we will publish our an-nual Children’s Issue, devoted entirely to theartwork and writing of local students. You’llbe able to find this online at http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/PDFs/ Scrolldown to Children’s.
Our next regular edition will publish Jan. 8,2020, with deadline for content and advertis-ing of Jan. 3 (late ads accepted).
In the meantime you can email the editorsat [email protected]. Youcan reach sales/marketing/advertising [email protected].
Digital replica editions of the most recentweek’s papers are available atwww.ConnectionNewspapers.com/PDFs
Past issues of the Connection back to 2008are available at connectionarchives.com/PDF/
Sign up for a free digital subscription atwww.ConnectionNewspapers.com/subscribe
Many local nonprofits are reportinga significant drop in contributionsthis year. To some, the decrease
constitutes an existential threat. Not only willthey be unable to meet their goals for helpingothers, but some might not be able to keeptheir doors open.
This comes as the need is increasing, as theWhite House cuts food stamps, as more peoplego hungry.
This is a perfect time to give, give a littlemore than you have in the past.
The holidays are about giving, and givingthanks.
There are people going hungry here, peoplewho need help, organizations that will help,but can only help with the resources they have.
There are literally hundreds, probably thou-sands, of ways to give locally this season, forhumans in need, for animals in need, for anenvironment in need. Here are a few ideas.
— Mary Kimm,
Where to Give Locally❖ Assistance League of Northern Virginia is an
all-volunteer nonprofit organization that feeds,clothes and educates children in need. AssistanceLeague’s philanthropic programs touch the lives ofthousands of children at 11 Title I schools inNorthern Virginia, serving children most in need atselected schools in Fairfax and Prince Williamcounties and the City of Alexandria. To learn moreabout volunteer and sponsorship opportunities,contact [email protected] or visit www.alnv.org
❖ Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater WashingtonFairfax Area operates clubs in two of the neediestareas of the county, Culmore, Mount Vernon/ Route1 corridor, and Chantilly, focusing on character andacademic success. https://www.bgcgw.org/club-page/fairfax-county-region-our-impact/
❖ Britepaths Britepaths is working to assist 500Fairfax County area families who might otherwisego without holiday meals and gifts for theirchildren. Sponsor a family or donate to provide afamily with a holiday meal and/or gifts for theirchildren. Britepaths.org https://britepaths.org/our-programs/holiday-program
❖ Centreville Immigration Forum, a safe,organized center where residents and contractors
can negotiate work arrangements with day laborers.Centreville Square Shopping Center, 5944Centreville Crest Ln, Centreville, VA 20121. Phone:(703) 543-6272 website:www.centrevilleimmigrationforum.org and [email protected]
❖ Closet Of The Greater Herndon Area is anonprofit thrift shop in downtown Herndon. TheCloset recently awarded over $20,000 in grants toseven local non-profit organizations: Cornerstones,Fellowship Square, Herndon-Reston FISH,Meridians Recovery, Mobile Hope of Loudoun,South Lakes High School PTSA Food Pantry, andHerndon Woman’s Club in support of WreathsAcross America. The Closet is a source of low-costclothing and household necessities and also givesaway clothing at no cost to truly needy individuals.845 Station Street Herndon, VA 20170 (703) 437-7652. Email [email protected] Web:theclosetofgreaterherndon.org/
❖ Comfort for America’s Uniformed Services(CAUSE) ensures that recuperating service membershave opportunities for recreation and socialinteraction and receive concrete signs ofappreciation for all that they have done. Mailingaddress: 4201 Wilson Blvd., #110-284, Arlington,
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one ofthe least of these brothers and sisters of mine,you did for me.”
Merry Christmas
Give Locally Families face uncertainty and need;nonprofits face drop in contributions.
See Give for Local impact, Page 7
Editorial
Oak Hill/Herndon Connection ❖ December 18-24, 2019 ❖ 5
News
By Mercia Hobson
The Connection
The Inaugural HerndonWinterMarkt, a free, one-day out-door event, kicked off in grand-
planned albeit wet style on Herndon’s OldTown Hall Green by the Depot Saturdaymorning, Dec. 14. The early morning coldrain did not deter patrons, who visited the
Ice Sculpting Pre-show and enjoyed the oompah-pah rhythmic sound made by the George Mason University Tuba and Eupho-nium Ensemble.
The party went on and grew exponen-tially larger in attendance as the day pro-gressed. At the 12:30 Opening Ceremonies on the main show mobile stage, Emcee John P. Boylan President & CEO of the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce introduced Town of Herndon Mayor Lisa C. Merkel, German diplomat, Niels von Redecker, and title sponsor, Northwest Federal Credit Union to the merrymakers. In the back-ground, Alte Kameraden, the German band
See Winter Market, Page 6
A reported 7,400 merrymakers attended the inaugural HerndonWinterMarkt on Sat., Dec. 14, held in conjunction with the annual TrainShow.
The German band unit of the City of Fairfax Band, Blaskapelle Alte Kameraden, introduces the Herndon WinterMarkt audience to spirited festmusik and the alpenhorn.www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Herndon WinterMarktDebuts to CrowdsFamily-focused eventdraws more than7,400 merrymakers.
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News
Ice master, Eric Baisas of Woodridge ampsup WinterMarkt 2019 in Herndon with alittle flying snow, sculpting live and bring-ing feathery ice to Herndon.
Skilled artisan Andy Black tempts DebGrupenhoff of Herndon with his hand-carved wood pieces.
WinterMarkt in HerndonFrom Page 5
of the City of Fairfax Band, played holiday music.“This inaugural event reinforces our theme of sup-
porting communities,” said Boylan. “This will be the start of a new Herndon tradition. It wouldn’t have been possible without Melissa Highley Tilton and her Executive Committee, Cindy Roeder and the Town of Herndon, our title sponsor Northwest Federal Credit Union, and our great volunteers. Thank you all,” said Boylan. “I’d like to thank the Chamber, the Town staff, and the volunteers who will ensure we are safe and sound. It’s a great chance to celebrate Ger-man culture with beer, wine, and crafts,” said Mayor Merkel.
FOR GERMAN DIPLOMAT Niels von Redecker, missing his native country’s Christkindlesmarkt, the place to sample specialties such as lebkuchen, a very rich honey spiced cookie, little finger-length bratwurst, stollen cake, and Gluhwein - the mulled warm wine drink— was difficult. “It’s hard to be away from Germany for the holidays, but Herndon WinterMarkt will bring that feeling to the United States,” said von Redecker. The band then surprised Niels’ son, Caspar, by singing Happy Birthday to him. Caspar turned 12 that day. Next, Mayor Merkel and Niels signed a WinterMarkt ornament and all walked over to the town Christmas tree on the Green, where Caspar hung it on the tree while the band played Christmas songs.
As the sun came out, attendance soared — lines formed for choice of culinary delicacies such as hot nuts, gourmet chocolates, pastries, and beverages. Patrons gathered at the market booths searching through a broad range of mostly handcrafted items by local merchants, many made of natural materi-als such as wood and wax. However, the scheduled line-up of 14 entertainments capped the event.
The German band unit of the City of Fairfax Band, Blaskapelle Alte Kameraden, introduced the
Herndon WinterMarkt audience to spirited festmusik and the alpenhorn. It was a long wooden, natural horn of conical bore with a wooden cup-shaped mouthpiece used initially to call cows from the al-pine pastures. Its distinctive sound combined the rich-ness of a brass wind instrument with the softness of a woodwind instrument.
“How fantastic... There would not have been a WinterMarkt without them (bands and vendors)...It was wonderful to see just how many wanted to be involved and were committed to making it a success— rain, snow, or shine,” said Tilton.
Artisan Andy Black showed his wood-carved works to Deb Grupenhoff of Herndon. “I’d heard the mar-ket was coming, and I had to check it out. I frequent any festival in the Town of Herndon,” she said.
For ice sculptor Eric Baisas of Woodridge, the joy of sawing and etching the ice showed in his face and words. “This was a hobby, but now it’s my source of income,” he said.
THE BIG ATTRACTION, though, remained the at-mosphere created by welcoming volunteers and thou-sands of people who came from the town and sur-rounding communities to enjoy the open-air ambi-ance of a European-style winter market recreated in the Town of Herndon with twinkling lit stalls, per-fect for the holidays.
“It takes a village. We had an amazing committee and cadre of volunteers, plus the support of the Cham-ber, the town, Northwest Federal Credit Union and our other sponsors. We literally could not have done it without them.
The final (attendance) count was more than 7,400 merrymakers. We were thrilled to see so many people from the community come together to celebrate and welcome visitors from near and far.
They all brought holiday spirit with them, and that’s what made WinterMarkt truly special,” said Melissa Tilton.
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Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Potomac Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.
By KENNETH B. LOURIE
Having re-read what I wrote in last week’s col-umn: “Still Processing,” I can’t say it made me feel a whole lot better than when I wrote it. Granted, it was a column that had to be written given my
-stantly) and the possible crossroads that I may be entering. Nevertheless, if part of the underlying rea-son why I take up this space every week is to vent and share, as a means, hopefully not to a premature end, I suppose there was stress released there. But the subject matter was so third-rail-ish that even though I’ve tried to avoid it, I feel adversely affected by the experience.
The subject to which I so ambiguously refer is my own death. Aside from not wanting it to happen, if I don’t plan in advance for it having happened, the chaos that will ensue and envelop my wife, Dina, is both unfair and inconsiderate. You see, in our relationship, she’s been the social director and I’ve been the business manager. To quote my late father: “and neither the twain shall meet except on the twack.” If I were indeed to predecease my wife, a fairly distinct possibility, not only would there be no twain, there would be no “twack” as well. There would only be trouble, and that’s ‘trouble’ with a capital “T.”
It’s not so much that there are complications lurking, so far as I understand them: there are no children, no blended family, no special needs situa-tions, no multi-layered business entanglements, no offshore anything (heck, there’s very little onshore), our home and bank accounts are jointly owned, no
and few liabilities; really not much out of the ordi-nary. However, I get that ordinary is in the eye of the surviving beholder, which is likely not to be me. Therefore, if I want to contribute to my wife’s quality of life after I’ve departed dearly (and to her peace of mind now, quite frankly), apparently a road map of
about control; it’s more about initiative.)I guess there’s something in me that feels I
need to get it out on paper so that I might act on it in person. Maybe writing about such a grim task minimizes its grimness, sort of like dipping your toe in the water before you jump? Maybe thinking and writing about the anxiety I’m feeling concerning what my wife will have to do after I’ve died is kind of a mental ice breaker. Not that I’m getting into any details here, it’s more of a broad brush,” to once again quote my brother, Richard, about the need for consideration and fairness. The underlying problem is that getting into all this after I’m-dead stuff seems and feels incredibly negative. And I try to ignore negativity. In fact, it may very well have been my positivity which has kept me alive all these live-long days.
I’m sure I’m rationalizing (maybe more like “irrationalizing”), as an excuse for not doing what needs to be done, but I’ve always been good at that. In addition, I keep coming back to it’s my life; I’m the one with “the cancer,” to quote “Forrest, Forrest Gump,” describing his mother’s cause of death, as a means of justifying my stubbornness/unwillingness to make certain arrangements. I mean, when you think of it, having cancer is a heck of an excuse. And though I’ve rarely used it as one, I’ve always felt it. And with respect to planning for a future I don’t have, I have to blame the cancer. It makes you do and think things you might not otherwise do and think. It’s not as if anyone is ever prepared for a cancer/serious health diagnosis. Quite the opposite in fact. As such, you either learn to roll with the punches or get knocked down by them.
This recent/current experience hasn’t knocked me down or out exactly, but it has made me a little wobbly emotionally, and reminded me just how in-
time in years, I seem to be at greater risk than ever. I suppose with risk comes opportunities. Having my
targeted medicine seems to be present just such an opportunity; exactly what the doctor ordered, literally.
CatharsisVA 22203, CFC #33011, Phone 703-591-4965,cause-usa.org
❖ Community Foundation of NorthernVirginia www.cfnova.org The CommunityFoundation for Northern Virginia works torespond to critical need and seed innovation inour region. Your gift helps us make grants in ourfocus areas of interest while also bringing aspotlight on the benefits of communityphilanthropists www.cfnova.org/for-donors/donate-now
❖ Cornerstones, 11150 Sunset Hills Road, Suite210, Reston, serving Reston and Herndon. 571-323-9555, www.cornerstonesva.org.
Nonprofit providing support and advocacy for thosein need of food, shelter, affordable housing,quality childcare, and other human services.Programs and services include the Embry RuckerCommunity Shelter, Emergency Food Pantry,Hypothermia Prevention Program, Gifts for Kidsand annual Coat Drive.www.cornerstonesva.org.
Contact Nate King, Donations and DrivesCoordinator, at 571-323-9569.
❖ FACETS helps parents, their children andindividuals who suffer the effects of poverty inthe Fairfax area, a partner in efforts to endhomelessness in Fairfax County. FACETS isalways in need of donations and volunteers, andoffers a variety of one-time and ongoingopportunities.
Donations will be accepted at FACETS’ main office(10700 Page Avenue, Building B, Fairfax VA22030) between 9am – 5pm.
Contact Haylee Davis at [email protected] or [email protected].
www.facetscares.org. 10640 Page Ave., Suite300, Fairfax VA 22030
❖ Herndon-Reston FISH (Friendly InstantSympathetic Help), 336 Victory Drive, Herndon,703-391-0105 herndonrestonfish.org Herndon-Reston FISH has assisted local residents in short-term crises by since 1969. 703-437-0600.
❖ LINK, serving Herndon, Chantilly, Loudoun andmore. [email protected]. 703-437-1776 www.linkagainsthunger.org.
❖ NAMI Northern Virginia (National Allianceon Mental Illness) works to raise awareness andprovide education, advocacy, and supportprograms for people living with mental illness,families, students, educators, law enforcement,and the public throughout our neighborhoods.Many excellent programs. NAMI NorthernVirginia serves Fairfax, Falls Church, Arlington,Alexandria, and Loudoun www.nami-northernvirginia.org/ HelpLine:(571)458.7310, Email: [email protected]
❖ Northern Virginia Family Service. Theorganization provides the essential buildingblocks for financial, emotional and physicalwell-being, serving as leaders and innovators forthe Northern Virginia community. Every year, itempowers 35,000 individuals to achieve self-sufficiency. www.nvfs.org Northern VirginiaFamily Service, 10455 White Granite, Drive,Suite 100, Oakton, VA 22124. 571-748-2500
❖ Pathway Homes providing non-time-limitedhousing and supportive services to adults withserious mental illness and co-occurringdisabilities in Northern Virginia. Founded in1980, Pathways currently serves more than 400adults in community-based homes in NorthernVirginia. www.pathwayhomes.org
❖ PRS, Inc. is a non profit providing mental health,crisis intervention and suicide preventionservices in Northern Virginia. PRS also providescrisis counseling and connection to supportsCRISISLINK When crisis calls, we answer 24/7Call: 800-273-TALK [8255] Text: “CONNECT” to85511
❖ Second Story — Second Story (formerlyAlternative House) provides shelter and servicesfor homeless, runaway or abused teenagers,unaccompanied youth, and young mothers andtheir children. second-story.org.
❖ Shelter House provides crisis intervention, safehousing and supportive services to promote self-sufficiency for homeless families and victims ofdomestic violence in Fairfax County. It is ourmission to get families back into stable housingin order to provide them the opportunity tocontinue their journey to self-sufficiency.www.shelterhouse.org
❖ Touching Heart in Herndon is a nonprofitorganization focused on how to enlighten,excite, and educate children about how they canexperience the true joy that comes from helpingthose in need. www.touchingheart.com, 703-901-7355.
From Page 4
Where to Give forLocal impact
8 ❖ Oak Hill/Herndon Connection ❖ December 18-24, 2019 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Holiday Entertainment
Submit entertainment announcements atwww.connectionnewspapers.com/Calendar/. Thedeadline is noon on Friday. Photos/artwork en-couraged.
ONGOINGSanta’s Secret Shop. Saturdays and Sundays,
noon to 3 p.m. thru Dec. 22. At LoudounHeritage Farm Museum, at Route 28 and Route7 at Claude Moore Park in Sterling. Children canshop in the barn theatre for their parents,grandparents, siblings, and teachers with thehelp of volunteer elves and museum staff. It willoffer a selection of gifts priced under $10.Santa’s helpers will be available to help childrenwrap purchases with special bags and ribbons.When they are finished shopping, children cansend a postcard to Santa at the North Pole.While waiting, parents can browse the museumgift shop where most items will be marked down50%. Visit the website:www.heritagefarmmuseum.org
Centroid Towns: Like a Passing Shadow.Through Jan. 4, at GRACE, 12001 Market St.,Suite 103, Reston. GRACE presents the nextchapter of Baltimore-based artist Nate Larson’sCentroid Towns project. Since the first UScensus in 1790, the United States Census Bureauhas been recording the mean center ofpopulation as it moves steadily west and south.The first Centroid Town recorded wasChestertown, Maryland, and the projectedCentroid of the 2020 census is Hartville,Missouri. Larson will dive deeper into thecommunity of Waterford, Virginia, CentroidTown of 1810. Visit restonarts.org/exhibition/nate-larson/ for more.
“Matilda The Musical.” Now thru Dec. 22. AtNextStop Theatre, 269 Sunset Park Drive,Herndon. Show times are Thursdays throughSundays. A Broadway musical about acourageous girl with an unbounded imaginationwho proves that despite the odds, you can doanything you put your mind to — and changeyour destiny. Based on the book by Roald Dahl.Tickets start at $40; Family 4-pack available —Buy 3 get one free with code “NextStopFam.”Call 866-811-4111 or visit the website:nextstoptheatre.org.
FRIDAY/DEC. 20Family Board Game Pop-Up. 6-8 p.m. At
Herndon Community Center, 814 Ferndale Ave.,Herndon. The Starting Player Pop-Up Companybrings a wide variety of board games you’venever tried: quick silly games, strategic, gamesfor small or large groups, plus the knowledgeand expertise to teach them quickly. Games cantake between five minutes and up to an hour.On top of the games, the knowledge, and thefamily time, you can create your own nut-freetrail mix. Cost is $4 person/$14 per family, perdate. To register, visit herndon-va.gov/recreation, or call 703-787-7300.
Friday Sound Series. 7:30 p.m. At ArtSpace, 750Center Street, Herndon. Holiday music andstories from Appalachia with local musicians,and storytellers. Recommended donation of $10.Call 703-956-6590 or visit the website:artsherndon.org
SATURDAY/DEC. 21Children’s Winter Wonderland. 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
At Reston Community Center, 2310 Colts NeckRoad, Reston. Free admission. Includes crafts,face painting, holiday letter writing, games,sweet treats, storytime and more. Please bring acanned/non-perishable food item to donate to alocal food bank. Sponsored by the FairfaxCounty Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma ThetaSorority.
Holiday Performances at The Promenade. At12 noon. At Reston Town Center, Market Street,Reston. (Between Market Street and DemocracyDrive, Reston). Schedule:
12-12:45 p.m. – Northern Virginia UkuleleEnsemble;
1-1:45 p.m. – Rick Landers, Guitar and Vocals;One-hour music performances presented by Reston
Community Center. Call 703-476-4500 or visitrestoncommunitycenter.com.
Angel Workshop & Sale. 2-4 p.m. At HambrockHolistic Healing Center, 297 Herndon Parkway,Suite 105, Herndon. They will use mediation toget you in contact with your angel. After themeditation, they will share angel stories and getto know each other. Free. Visit the website:https://www.hambrockholistichealing.co/
DEC. 21-22Wagon Rides with Santa. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. At
Frying Pan Farm Park, 2709 West Ox Road,Herndon. You’re in for a jolly time when Santatakes the wheel on the “Wagon Rides withSanta” at Frying Pan Farm Park. Celebrate theholiday season with Santa in the driver’s seat.
Enjoy hot cocoa and roast marshmallows by thefire before or after your wagon ride. Thisprogram is designed for participants age 2 toadult. Register for rides on the half-hour. Thecost is $5 per person. A registered adult isrequired to attend with all registered children.Call 703-437-9101 or visit https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/frying-pan-park.
”Santa’s Funky Hawaiian ChristmasCabaret.” 6:30 p.m. At StageCoach TheatreCompany, 20937 Ashburn Road, Suites 115 and120, Ashburn. StageCoach Theatre Companypresents a musical revue, “Santa’s FunkyHawaiian Christmas Cabaret”. Ticket pricesrange from $25 for non-dinner performances to$60 when dinner is included. This show willfeature the vocal talents of Lisa Alford, KatBrais, Doug Marcks, Joey Olson, Katie Pond, andJolene Vettese. This musical revue is producedby Jerri Wiseman, a co-owner of StageCoachTheatre Company. Reservations for dinnertheatre performances are required for cateringpurposes. Reservations can be made online athttps://stagecoachtc.com/santas-funky-hawaiian-christmas-cabaret/
DEC. 21-23”A Seussified Christmas Carol.” At
StageCoach Theatre, 20937 Ashburn Road,Suites 115 and 120, Ashburn. StageCoachTheatre for Young Audiences presents a family-friendly tale, “A Seussified Christmas Carol”.The show is a whimsical reinvention of Dickens’most beloved Christmas story in wacky rhymedcouplets. With zoot fruited juices and binka birdgeese, from Bed-Headed Fred to Timmy LooHoo, this tale of glorious holiday cheer is similarto something Dr. Seuss might have come upwith — if he ever had his way with the story.This classic story has been “Seussified” byplaywright Peter Bloedel and brought to life bydirector Linda Cirba. The show will be held Dec.21 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Dec. 22 at 2 p.m.; andDec. 23 at 7 p.m. Ticket prices are $12 for adultsand $8 for children ages 3-12. Reservations areencouraged at https://stagecoachtc.com. Ticketswill be sold at the door pending availability.Seating will be on a first come, first served basis.Doors open 30 minutes prior to the show starttime.
TUESDAY/DEC. 24Christmas Eve Service. 5-6 p.m. At Unitarian
Universalist Church in Reston, 1625 WiehleAve., Reston. This special candlelight ChristmasEve worship service will be full of music and joy.All are welcome. Free. Nursery care will beoffered for children ages 4 and under; sign upon the website if you need nursery care for yourlittle one. All children are welcome in theworship service. Visit the website: http://www.uureston.org/christmas-eve
SUNDAY/DEC. 29Resolutions Workshop. 1-3 p.m. At Reston
Regional Library, 11925 Bowman Towne Drive,Reston. Explore your interests and plan goals foryour best life in 2020. Workshop includesinteractive activities and planning
workbook. Register https://bit.ly.367qUMH.West Coast Swing Lesson plus Social Dance.
5-8 p.m. at Herndon Senior Center, 873 GraceSt. #1, Herndon. Instructor Tim Bowker andpartner Laura Martin will teach West CoastSwing, 5-6 p.m. Classes videotaped forindividual review. Basic skills recommended.Social dancing, 6-8 p.m. WCS crossovers andballroom, Latin, Hustle contemporary mix. $10;$8, USA Dance members. [email protected] or visitwww.facebook.com/herndonsocialdancers.
MONDAY/DEC. 30Bob Brown Puppets. 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. At
Frying Pan Park, 2709 West Ox Road, Herndon.Keep the holiday season merry with a ticket tothe “Nutcracker Fantasy Puppet Show” at FryingPan Farm Park. Join Master Puppeteer BobBrown at Frying Pan’s visitor center for anexciting marionette performance, and get readyto enter the Kingdoms of Snow, Flowers,Sweets, and Far-a-Way Places. It’s fun for allages! Cost is $5 per person. Call 703-437-9101or visit https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/frying-pan-park.
TUESDAY/DEC. 31New Year’s Eve Golf Tournament. 10 a.m.
Shotgun Start. At Herndon Centennial GolfCourse, 909 Ferndale Ave., Herndon. Annualfour-person scramble. Entry fee includes greenfee, cart fee, range balls and prizes. Cost is $70per player; entry deadline: Dec. 26. Call 703-471-5769 or visit the website herndongolf.com
A Christmas Eve Service will be held Tuesday, Dec. 24 at the UnitarianUniversalist Church in Reston.
Christmas Eve ServiceTuesday/Dec. 24, 5-6 p.m. At Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston, 1625 Wiehle Ave., Reston. This
special candlelight Christmas Eve worship service will be full of music and joy. All are welcome. Free.Nursery care will be offered for children ages 4 and under; sign up on the website if you need nurserycare for your little one. All children are welcome in the worship service. Visit the website: http://www.uureston.org/christmas-eve
“The Mountaintop” will be presented Jan. 9 to Feb. 2 at NextStop The-atre in Herndon.
“The Mountaintop”Jan. 9 to Feb. 2, At NextStop Theatre, 269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon. “The Mountaintop” is a his-
torical drama taking place in Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s hotel room the night before his assassination.He meets a young maid who forces him to consider exactly who and what he is fighting for. Full of vividtheatricality, poetic language, and surprising twists, this drama takes us to the summit of a man’s his-toric life and offers a stunning view of his dream for our nation. Visit the website:www.nextstoptheatre.org/shows/mountaintop